HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

Latest On Seahawks’ Offensive Line

May 19th, 2024 at 8:12pm CST by Ely Allen

Though the Seahawks’ path forward at offensive tackle seems secure, the team has lots of questions to face concerning the interior line. The situation should lead to a few position battles worth watching this summer.

At offensive tackle, the situation is simple: 2022 first- and third-round picks Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas are set to continue manning the starting spots they’ve held since their rookie season. The only questions mark here comes with Lucas’ health, after the 25-year-old missed all but six games last year as he struggled to come back from offseason surgery on his shoulder. Even if either player misses some time, Seattle brought back a former tackle of theirs in George Fant after four years away from the team. Most recently, Fant started 13 games for the Texans last year and should provide an improvement to the backup options utilized last season in Seattle.

At guard, the team inked veteran free agent Laken Tomlinson, who should slide into the starting job at left guard. At right guard, the Seahawks return Anthony Bradford, who started 10 games as a fourth-round rookie last year. The team also utilized a third-round selection this year to draft UConn’s Christian Haynes, who played exclusively at right guard throughout college. Bradford wasn’t a world-beater last year, with Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranking him as the league’s 62nd-best guard out of 79 graded players, so Haynes will likely be given every opportunity to compete for the starting job opposite Tomlinson. Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times points out depth guard McClendon Curtis as another under the radar option. Though listed on the roster last year as a tackle, he’s now listed at guard, where he started 30 games in college.

The real questions come at center, where the Seahawks have stacked up a number of inexperienced options. Currently, the depth chart holds Nick Harris, Olusegun Oluwatimi, and Mike Novitsky. Harris, a 2020 fifth-round pick for the Browns, only started four games over the course of his rookie deal, though he earned plenty of snaps on special teams or on overloaded lines in Cleveland. Oluwatimi started one game as a rookie fifth-round pick for Seattle last year, though he also got plenty of special teams experience. He also played over half the team’s offensive snaps in two other games last season. Novitsky is a long shot to make an impact in this conversation. An undrafted rookie out of Kansas, Novitsky doesn’t trail the others much in experience but lacks the drafted pedigree.

Three spots are generally set: Cross at left tackle, Tomlinson beside him as left guard, and Lucas opposite the two at right tackle. You could even say four spots are set, if you decide to count Fant’s job as a swing tackle. At right guard, Seattle knows Bradford can handle the job, if necessary, but they will hope that competition with Haynes will either push Bradford to improve or reveal a better option in Haynes or even, possibly, Curtis. Center is where things remain dire. The team may strike gold in the three unlikely options they hold, but external additions may be on the horizon if no one takes hold of the starting job convincingly.

5 Key Stories: 5/12/24 – 5/19/24

May 19th, 2024 at 4:44pm CST by Adam La Rose

Teams around the NFL are turning their attention to organized team activities and the mandatory minicamps which will soon follow them. Developments related to potential holdouts once attendance becomes mandatory have been seen in recent days, while a pair of blockbuster extensions were also worked out. Here is a recap of the past week’s top stories:

  • Lions Extend Goff: For the second time in his career, Jared Goff has secured a massive new deal. The former No. 1 pick agreed to a four-year, $212MM extension with the Lions which will keep him in place through at least 2027. This pact (which includes an option for 2028) carries a $53MM AAV, the second-highest figure in the NFL. It also features a practical guarantee of $148MM and a no-trade clause, making this a favorable deal for Goff. The 29-year-old has revived his career in Detroit, helping lead the team to the NFC title game in 2023. Expectations will be high for a repeat over the coming years on a Lions offense which also has Amon-Ra St. Brown and Penei Sewell attached to mega-deals of their own. Detroit drafted a potential Goff replacement (Hendon Hooker) last year, but he no longer has a path to playing time in the foreseeable future.
  • Buccaneers Hand Winfield Jr. Record-Breaking Deal: When the Buccaneers used the franchise tag on safety Antoine Winfield Jr., it was clear that move served as a means of buying time for extension talks. A long-term deal arrived when the sides agreed to a four-year, $84.1MM contract which takes the place of the tag. The All-Pro now holds the title of not only the league’s highest-paid safety, but the top earner amongst all defensive backs. Winfield, 25, enjoyed a career year in 2023 and he will remain a foundational member of Tampa Bay’s defense moving forward (especially over the next two years, where he will see $45MM fully guaranteed). With new deals for Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans, Lavonte David and now Winfield done this offseason, the Bucs’ attention will turn to a monster Tristan Wirfs accord.
  • Tagovailoa’s Contract Status Driving Dolphins Absence: With offseason workouts in their voluntary phase, absences amongst high-profile players are generally not viewed as being as impactful as training camp holdouts. Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has been away from the team for most of their offseason program to date, however, which marks a departure from his past participation habits. The 2020 first-rounder saw classmates Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert sign monster extensions last offseason, and talks on his own deal are ongoing. Tagovailoa’s decision to skip most Miami activities so far is believed to be related to his lack of a new deal. The 26-year-old had a fully healthy (and productive) season in 2023, helping his market value. He is set to earn $23.17MM on his fifth-year option this campaign, but a multi-year accord will be much pricier.
  • Hendrickson Practicing With Bengals: Before the draft, it was learned Trey Hendrickson requested a trade from the Bengals. The Pro Bowl edge rusher attempted to negotiate a new deal coming off a career year in March, but a lack of success on that front drove the request to be moved. Nothing has taken place since, though Hendrickson has resumed working out with the Bengals. Cincinnati has no desire to move on from the 29-year-old, who has amassed 39.5 sacks in three seasons with the team. Two years remain on Hendrickson’s deal, but his scheduled salaries ($14.8MM, $15.8MM) are not guaranteed. It will be interesting to see if he plays in 2024 on his existing pact or if further efforts to secure more up-front compensation are made this summer.
  • Jets Eyed De Facto Hackett Replacement? Nathaniel Hackett is in place as the Jets’ offensive coordinator, but the team struggled on that side of the ball last season. In the wake of his less-than-stellar New York debut, the team reportedly sought out a staffer who would have outranked Hackett this offseason. The 44-year-old had a disastrous tenure as head coach of the Broncos which lasted less than one season, but his ties to Aaron Rodgers has allowed the pair to resume their relationship with the Jets. Head coach Robert Saleh was previously linked to searching out a hire tasked with limiting Hackett’s influence, but no move has taken place. The latter will thus remain a key figure for the Jets this year, as the team aims to rebound on offense with a healthy Rodgers.

Latest On Commanders’ Nickname, Logo

May 19th, 2024 at 12:53pm CST by Rory Parks

The Commanders have used their current nickname for the past two seasons after spending the prior two years as the Washington Football Team and the 83 years before that as the Washington Redskins. Last summer, a group led by Josh Harris purchased the club, and although there have been rumblings that new ownership may want to change the name or even revert back to the Redskins, that is not the case, per Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post.

Prior owner Dan Snyder, who repeatedly insisted that the “Redskins” moniker would never change, finally succumbed to sponsorship pressure to make a switch towards the end of his tenure. Harris & Co. have said before that there is no intent to change the current name, but recent events have made some skeptical of that proclamation.

For instance, during the club’s rookie minicamp earlier this month, new head coach Dan Quinn wore an (unlicensed) T-shirt that featured the feathers that were a prominent part of the Redskins’ logo dangling from the stylized “W” that represents the entirety of the current Commanders’ logo (via JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington).

As Eric Flack of WUSA9 wrote last week, Sen. Steve Daines (R-Montana), a key member of the Congressional committee advancing a bill that would give Washington, D.C. control of the RFK Stadium site — which would be used for a new stadium for the Commanders — is demanding that the team bring back the Redskins’ logo. To be clear, Daines is not advocating the use of the “Redskins” name, and in remarks prepared for a hearing on the proposed legislation, he wrote, “[m]ake no mistake, this logo was inspired and envisioned by [Blackfeet Tribe member Blackie] Wetzel as a tribute to Native Americans. It is not a caricature. It is a description of pride and strength. Of courage and honor.”

Additionally, the team recently posted birthday wishes to longtime linebacker London Fletcher on X, and in so doing, it used an image prominently featuring the Redskins’ helmet. As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk observes, the team’s social media birthday wishes to Fletcher in prior years included images in which the Redskins’ logo was not visible.

As Florio opines in a separate piece, “there are no accidents,” and he believes matters like Quinn’s T-shirt are “trial balloons” to test the public response to the old name and logo (although the team had no official comment on the T-shirt). While it would be hard to imagine Harris deciding to bring back the “Redskins” name, it would be less difficult to see the team incorporate elements of the prior logo, especially in light of the merchandising sales it could generate.

Tyler Steen Front-Runner For Eagles’ RG Job

May 19th, 2024 at 9:37am CST by Rory Parks

In his first NFL training camp, 2023 third-rounder Tyler Steen was supposed to compete with 2022 second-rounder Cam Jurgens for the Eagles’ starting right guard post. But Steen, a collegiate tackle, had a difficult time adapting to the interior, and Jurgens quickly beat him out.

Ultimately, Steen appeared in just 71 offensive snaps last year, almost all of which came during his one and only start, a Week 9 victory over the Cowboys. Aside from that contest, for which both Jurgens and Sua Opeta were injured, Philadelphia typically called upon Opeta when it needed a reserve guard.

However, the Eagles allowed Opeta to depart in free agency this offseason, and a recent ESPN report confirms that Jurgens will move to center to replace retired franchise icon Jason Kelce (which was the plan when Jurgens was first drafted). That means that the RG job is again there for the taking, and the same ESPN report indicates that Steen is the front-runner.

In his admittedly small sample size of work in 2023, Steen did not receive high marks from Pro Football Focus, which assigned him a poor overall grade of 53.2 and a laughably low 21.9 pass-blocking mark (PFF also charged him with six pressures allowed). On the other hand, he held up reasonably well in the run game, and in the view of Jimmy Kempski of PhillyVoice.com, Steen — whose struggles in blocking Dallas superstar Micah Parsons are perhaps forgivable — showed enough promise to earn the pole position in the right guard race.

His top competition for the job could come in the form of free agent acquisition Matt Hennessy, whom the Eagles added on a one-year deal in March. Hennessy missed the entirety of the 2023 campaign due to a knee injury, and he appeared in just 175 snaps in 2022, all of which came as a left guard for the Falcons. However, he did acquit himself well during his LG cameo, and he was a highly-effective run blocker when working as Atlanta’s starting pivot in 2021. If nothing else, he will provide useful depth at center and the guard positions.

Day 3 rookies Trevor Keegan and Dylan McMahon could also push Steen for playing time at right guard.

Odell Beckham Jr. On WR3 Role In Dolphins’ Offense

May 19th, 2024 at 8:27am CST by Rory Parks

The Dolphins were first connected to Odell Beckham Jr. shortly after the first wave of free agency had passed in March, and they struck a one-year, incentive-laden deal with the 31-year-old wideout just a few days after the 2024 draft wrapped. Although the Jets were rumored as a possible suitor for the three-time Pro Bowler this offseason, it was ultimately a one-team race for Beckham’s services.

That fact is reflected in the $3MM base value of Beckham’s contract, a full $12MM less than the $15MM in guaranteed money he received from the Ravens in the 2023 offseason (a payout that was driven by the status of the Ravens’ negotiations with QB Lamar Jackson at the time). Beckham’s Miami deal also confirms that, despite his ability to stay mostly healthy thoughout his first and only Baltimore campaign, he is now viewed throughout the league as an ancillary piece rather than an offensive focal point.

For his part, Beckham is perfectly content with that. “[A]t this place in my life and my career, I haven’t been the No. 1 (WR) in a minute,” Beckham said during his introductory press conference (via Larry Holder of The Athletic (subscription required)). “You could go look at targets, you could go look at anything, that’s not really where I’ve been at.”

While virtually any player would take a backseat to Miami’s WR tandem of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, it is still notable that Beckham — who looked every bit a future Hall of Famer during the early stages of his pro career, and who had at least two clubs willing to pony up eight figures for him in 2023 — has made peace with his new role.

Beckham caught 35 balls for 565 yards last season, a far cry from his halcyon days with the Giants and even his first season with the Browns in 2019, which was generally considered to be a disappointment. On the other hand, his Baltimore production yielded a 16.1 yards-per-reception rate, a career-best mark that supports the execs who believe that he still possesses high-end ability.

And in South Beach, even a repeat of Beckham’s Ravens output should be more than enough to help the Dolphins’ offense continue to function at a high level. Despite the fact that Miami’s nominal No. 3 wideout, Cedrick Wilson Jr., recorded just 296 yards in 2023, the club finished first in the league in total offense and second in points scored. Wilson is no longer on the team, but Beckham and a pair of Day 3 draftees (Malik Washington and Tahj Washington) have been added to the unit.

Among the 35 receivers who garnered between 40 and 74 targets in 2023, OBJ finished 10th in terms of Expected Points Added per target and third in terms of EPA per reception, which suggests that he can indeed serve as a productive complement to Hill and Waddle.

In discussing his contentment with his current status, Beckham said, “[i]t’s amazing. It gives you a huge sense of peace. I feel like I used to carry a lot of anger or resentment or whatever it was. Now I just feel at peace. You’re able to train, you’re able to play the game that you love again. You kind of get past all the business side or whatever could be holding you back. A part of me feels like this is an opportunity for it to just be football.”

Latest On Texans WR Tank Dell

May 18th, 2024 at 8:56pm CST by Adam La Rose

Tank Dell suffered minor injuries as one of the victims of an April nightclub shooting, but his recovery has gone well to date. The second-year Texans wideout is on track to take part in the team’s offseason workouts, although he could be limited for the time being.

Dell was hit in the leg, but his injuries required only a brief hospitalization. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 confirms no structural damage was suffered, and the 24-year-old is thus expected to make a full recovery. When addressing the situation, his trainer noted full participation in upcoming OTAs and minicamp should not be expected.

“I think [head coach] DeMeco [Ryans] will sit him out until the big camp in July,” Delfonte Diamond said (via Wilson). “I’m sure he’ll watch practice. DeMeco wants him to do routes on air. He’ll be at practice, I’m sure, but not full-go.”

Dell is of course also recovering from the fractured fibula which ended his encouraging rookie campaign. The Houston product was expected to be healthy in time for OTAs prior to the shooting, but his timeline to return to full practices has obviously been altered. A cautious approach on the team’s part would come as no surprise given Dell’s importance to Houston’s passing game.

The third-rounder totaled 709 yards and seven touchdowns in 11 games last year. He received at least eight targets on five occasions during that span, developing early chemistry with quarterback C.J. Stroud. Regaining that form would go a long way to the team repeating its success from 2023, although Houston also has Nico Collins – who had a career year last season – returning for 2024. The team traded for Stefon Diggs this offseason, and the four-time Pro Bowler will provide Stroud with another high-profile target.

Still, Dell proved he is capable of handling starting duties last season, so his recovery will be worth monitoring this summer. As things stand, though, he should be back to full participation by the time training camp begins in mid-July.

WR Terrace Marshall On Panthers’ Roster Bubble?

May 18th, 2024 at 8:12pm CST by Adam La Rose

A number of Panthers were known to be on the block in advance of the 2023 trade deadline. That group included wideout Terrace Marshall, though he was not dealt.

Marshall entered the league with high expectations after he played a role in LSU’s explosive passing game alongside Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson. While the latter two members of that pair have established themselves amongst the league’s top receivers, Marshall has struggled to carve out a role at the pro level. He once again faces an uncertain future in Carolina.

Marshall is likely on the roster bubble this summer, Joe Person of The Athletic writes (subscription required). The 23-year-old received permission to find a trade partner in October, but to little surprise there was not a strong market to acquire him. A limited role in the team’s offense in 2023 relative to his playing time the previous year fueled a trade request.

Carolina did not add a wideout during the campaign, but the team has been active on that front this offseason. The Panthers dealt cornerback Donte Jackson to the Steelers in return for Diontae Johnson. The latter posted at least 86 catches and 882 yards each year from 2020-22, and he will be a key member of Carolina’s passing attack moving forward.

The same is also true of Xavier Legette, whom the Panthers traded up to select at the end of Round 1 in the draft. The South Carolina product did not handle a notable role until 2023, but last season he posted a 71-1,255-7 statline while also showcasing his ability as a returner. Legette’s skillset is different from that of Johnson and 2023 signee Adam Thielen, and he will be counted on to carve out a role during his rookie season.

Thielen received 137 targets in his debut Panthers season, in part due to the team’s lack of other established pass-catching options. The additions of Johnson and Legette (as well as the decision to draft tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders in the fourth round) were aimed at rectifying that issue in quarterback Bryce Young‘s second campaign. The Panthers also have 2023 third-rounder Jonathan Mingo in place on the WR depth chart.

Marshall averaged 17.5 yards per catch while logging nine starts in 2022 when Ben McAdoo guided Carolina’s offense. His playing time saw a notable decline last year, though, and he recorded only 19 scoreless catches. Marshall’s performance in training camp will be worth watching closely. If new head coach Dave Canales does not foresee the former second-rounder surviving roster cutdowns, the team could look to move him in the final year of his rookie contract.

Saints’ Taliese Fuaga Working At LT

May 18th, 2024 at 6:40pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Saints, as expected, were among the teams which exited Day 1 of the 2024 draft with an offensive tackle. New Orleans added Taliese Fuaga with the No. 14 selection, and he is in position to see immediate playing time.

Fuaga logged 25 starts during his time at Oregon State, each of which were at right tackle. That could set him up to play that position with New Orleans depending on the health status of Ryan Ramczyk. The latter is dealing with a knee issue which has his 2024 availability in doubt, and missing time would pave the way for Fuaga (who has inked his rookie deal) to log first-team duties as a rookie.

The Saints face questions along the blindside as well, however. 2022 first-rounder Trevor Penning was benched last season, and veteran James Hurst retired in April. That left the team without an experienced left tackle option, as was the case when Andrus Peat (who, like Hurst, has spent time at both guard and tackle) signed with the Raiders. To little surprise, then, Fuaga has taken left tackle snaps during Saints offseason workouts.

“Starting off, we’re primarily going to work him on the left side,” head coach Dennis Allen confirmed (via NOLA.com’s Matthew Paras). “Then we’ll evaluate it as it goes. We haven’t made any decisions in terms of concrete decision, but yet, that’s where we’re going to start him right now… We’ll see how he does at this camp and then re-evaluate him after this camp.”

Penning has made six starts and 23 appearances to date, but his struggles this season (during which he ranked 65th out of 81 qualifying tackles in terms of PFF grade) forced the team to look elsewhere for left tackle responsibilities. The Northern Iowa product is under contract for two more years – or three, if the team exercises his fifth-year option next offseason. Doing so would be unlikely at this point, and a strong showing from Fuaga on the left side would not help Penning’s chances of remaining in the Saints’ long-term plans.

New Orleans also has free agent addition Oli Udoh as a left tackle option. The former Viking has 18 starts to his name, having seen time on the blindside as well as right guard. How he performs – along with the status of Ramczyk – will have an effect on Fuaga’s situation. It will be interesting to see how the latter fares at left tackle over the course of the offseason as the Saints try to assemble an effective, new-look offensive front.

NFC North Rumors: Amegadjie, Oladapo, Turner

May 18th, 2024 at 5:53pm CST by Ely Allen

After watching left tackle Braxton Jones miss six games last season, the Bears utilized a third-round pick to add some quality depth to the roster in Yale offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie. That quality depth will have to wait, though, as Amegadjie is still reportedly making his way back from a season-ending injury he suffered in college, according to Courtney Cronin of ESPN.

Amegadjie suffered a partially torn quad in his final season at Yale that limited him to only four games last year after he underwent surgery. The team claims that doctors had medically cleared Amegadjie, but he has yet to practice in Chicago and will likely be sidelined for the at least the remainder of the spring. Head coach Matt Eberflus said that the plan is for the rookie to be ready by training camp.

Here are a few other rumors from around the NFC North:

  • Another rookie getting a delayed start to his NFL career is Packers safety Kitan Oladapo, per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. The fifth-round pick out of Oregon State broke the big toe on his left foot during a drill at the NFL scouting combine. He waited to undergo surgery until after his pro day, where he still performed in position drills, and made teams aware of the situation during the pre-draft process. Currently sporting a protective boot and riding a scooter to lessen stress on the toe, Oladapo is not expected to participate in any offseason workouts. He aims to be ready by training camp.
  • New Vikings pass rusher Dallas Turner suffered from an unprecedented run of offensive draft picks to open the 2024 NFL Draft. After the minor slide to the middle of the first round, Turner finally came off the board at No. 17 overall as the third defensive player taken. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated hints that the unforeseen streak of offensive players may not have been the only reason that Turner slipped later than expected. Breer says that Turner, UCLA pass rusher Laiatu Latu, and Washington offensive tackle Troy Fautanu all fell due to red flags from medical concerns coming into the draft. Without those issues, Breer speculates the three would’ve gone closer to their projected values.

NFL Staff Updates: Commanders, 49ers, Slater, Colts, Panthers

May 18th, 2024 at 4:14pm CST by Ely Allen

The Commanders announced three updates to their front office staff this week. With new leadership in general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn, the team sees two staffers depart and one scout join his former boss.

Firstly, senior director of player development Malcolm Blacken will not be retained in 2024, per Ben Standig of The Athletic. Serving multiple stints with the team since 1999, Blacken had risen to his role from years as a strength and conditioning coach.

Joining Blacken in departure will be college scout Harrison Ritcher. According to Neil Stratton of SucceedinFootball.com, Ritcher is headed to Atlanta to serve as a national scout for the Falcons, reuniting with former Washington staffer, and current assistant general manager in Atlanta, Kyle Smith. Ritcher had been with the team since 2017.

Lastly, the Commanders will be adding Jack Quagliarello to the scouting staff as a pro scout, per Stratton. Quagliarello follows Peters from San Francisco after spending last season as a scouting assistant with the 49ers.

Here are a few other staff updates from around the NFL:

  • The 49ers also made some announcements, all to their scouting staff. San Francisco has promoted Josh Williams from national scout to director of scouting & football operations, per Stratton. Williams started with the team in 2011 as a scouting assistant and has quickly risen through the ranks. As a part of the NFL’s accelerator program, Williams is widely considered a future general manager candidate. He’ll work closely with general manager John Lynch and executive vice president of football operations Paraag Marathe in 2024. In addition, Stratton notes that Ryan Schutta has been hired as a scouting assistant, filling the role vacated by Quagliarello’s departure mentioned above.
  • Following his retirement, we learned that former Patriots special teams ace Matthew Slater would join the Patriots staff in a full-time role. Now, Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald tells us a bit more about Slater’s new role. Kyed says that, while Slater “hasn’t advanced into a coaching role” just yet, he will serve an advisory role on the staff in 2024.
  • The Colts had reportedly finalized their 2024 coaching staff back in March, but we did note that they planned to announce two Tony Dungy Diversity Fellowship hires at the time. The team has officially made such announcements, per team writer JJ Stankevitz, naming Kalon Humphries and Diego Ortiz as the two fellows. Indianapolis also announced a title change for Joe Hastings, who will now serve as senior assistant special teams coach, and the hiring of Brent Stockstill as a defensive assistant. Stockstill makes his NFL coaching debut after five years coaching at the collegiate level with a focus on offense.
  • Lastly, the Panthers have added Brad Obee as their new Midwest scout, according to Stratton. Over 21 years with the Bears and Eagles, Obee has spent time in numerous scouting roles, often focusing on pro scouting. He most recently spent the last three seasons as an area scout for Philadelphia, departing after the expiration of his contract.
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